Living the 10/20/Life With Brian Carroll

Brian Carroll is an Elite-level powerlifter, trainer and author of the best-selling strength training book

The idea behind the book is 10 and 20 weeks at a time for a LIFETIME of positive momentum in LIFE and training!

Brian Carroll Interview

How long have you been lifting, and did you immediately take a like to strength and powerlifting?

First of all, thank you for having me and being interested enough to ask me some questions, Steve. I've been competing for over 10 years and lifting for over 20  and do not plan on quitting any time soon  hence my lifetime project 10/20/Life. Yes, I was hooked in the 90's but fully come 2003 during my first meet.

Tell us about your book 10/20/Life...Why did you write it, who is it for and what can readers expect?

It's THE best, most comprehensive program/ebook out there. It helps you determine your assistance work, and caters to YOUR weak points. This is huge, as no other training book teaches you how to be your own personal coach.

I cover form, warm-up, off-season and pre-contest. This book is for ANYONE WHO WANTS TO GET STRONGER NO MATTER THE END GOAL.

You will learn how to dial your own programming in, how to listen to your body and create a long career. That's what it's about.

I created it because there was so much bull in the lifting industry. I wanted people to be able to get and use a product that was going to benefit them and help them avoid the same mistake that I made along the way. To help others. The idea behind the book is 10 and 20 weeks at a time for a LIFETIME of positive momentum in LIFE and training!

Brian can you tell us about your most recent meet. How were your totals, were you satisfied, and are you changing your training at all moving forward?

I'm now competing at 242 instead of 275. I recently totaled 2,600 at 242 which is my best 242 total to date. I was one lift away from setting the largest 242 total in the history of lifting.

I plan on getting this in march at the XPC Arnold on March 7, 2015. Yes, very satisfied and I will not change my plan. It's worked well over the last 20 years.

What are your 3 biggest gym pet peeves?

Lazy, those that make excuses and those that are habitually tardy. Those that talk too much during heavy sets and don't know when to STFU.

Do you have a post-workout nutrition and supplementation ritual, or do you just eat whatever?

I'm a very very picky eater. I like to avoid any junk food prior to lifting to avoid tanking my blood sugar and getting lazy. I use Pump  the pre-workout from GamePlan prior to training, the recovery with Gatorade during training and whey post-training with some more sugar then a meal.

I'm now competing at 242 instead of 275. I recently totaled 2,600 at 242 which is my best 242 total to date. I was one lift away from setting the largest 242 total in the history of lifting.

Outside of the powerlifts, what are your 3 favorite exercises and why?

As I spoke about earlier, this is all personal and based upon one's needs. But as a rule of thumb, and if I must be generic  here are my favorite supplemental movements:

Mcgill pull-up (explosive pull-up with perfect form)

Board press for bench

Pause squat.

What powerlifting myths do you wish would die?

That a person who lifts in gear can't help a raw or unequipped lifter. Also, that equipped lifters aren't strong, and any raw guy can throw on gear and dominate. The later has literally never ever happened.

How is your online personal coaching going, and what can folks expect when they work with you?

Going well. Just relaunched my new website

I'm a very very picky eater. I like to avoid any junk food prior to lifting to avoid tanking my blood sugar.

What's the most amazing feat you've ever witnessed at a powerlifting meet?

Too many to name but here are a few:

Dan Green 2100 in a belt at 220.

Panora's reign of dominance from 2005-2009 as well as Frankl's 2715 at 220.

Bolton's 1003 deadlift.

Scott Weech hitting 2204 at superheavy in a belt.

Malanchiev's 2463 in wraps and a belt.

What weak spots have given you the most issues over the years and what steps have you taken to overcome these weaknesses?

Doing stupid crap in and out of the gym. I think I've put a lid on it for good, finally. I would not focus as much as I should have. Now, at 33, no room for screwing around.

3 biggest nutrition/diet mistakes you've made?

Eating to gain too fast, trying to be as big as possible no matter what, and eating junk to get big. See the theme there? Bigger faster is not better most times.

We plan on doing a seminar or two per month all over the USA in 2015. We cover strength, period. No matter what the goals.

What's in your gym bag?

Any new projects coming down the road as a follow-up to 10/20/Life?

MANY. We plan on doing a seminar or two per month all over the USA in 2015. We cover strength, period. No matter what the goals, and we cover programming principles, form and dialing in your lifts as well as warmup and approach.

We have some very cool follow up products to 10/20 as well that you will hear about very soon. Stay updated here:

Books, Products and Services

Training Programs - Sound structure and continuous method improvement maximize progress from one training cycle to the next. Lower risk of injury, better recovery, improved technique, and more effective methods, lead to improved performance and a higher total.

I see clients implementing new techniques or adding a different method everyday. Yet, one-time improvements often fail.

What I do is to help these clients optimize their training by addressing the following core issues:

Lower risk of injury: Lower risk of injury through proper warm-up, optimal volume and intensity, and overall guidance given to help avoid the same pit-falls that the veteran lifters like myself have made.

Better recovery: From improving nutrition and eliminating unnecessary body-fat to specialized rehab and recovery techniques, I help clients get healthy, stay healthy, and above all  get stronger.

Improved technique: I help my clients achieve near perfect technique by analyzing video, critiquing form and answering even the most basic questions on a daily or even hourly basis, if necessary. Everything is custom, so my level of involvement is based on what you feel most comfortable with.

Alternative training methods: After years of doing things wrong, failing, succeeding, achieving, getting injured, and recovering, I now strive to lead by sharing my lessons learned and providing insight on some of the most effective training methods, diet tricks and recovery protocol on the planet.

* Tiger Fitness does not imply any medical advice in this article. There are no guarantees of specific results and results may vary. Please consult your family Dr. before starting any diet or training program.